Phil Hughes knocked out by bouncer at SCG and in critical condition

BATSMAN Phil Hughes is receiving “the best possible medical care” after emerging from surgery.
He remains in a critical condition.

A hospital spokesman confirmed Hughes had suffered a head injury and that he was rushed into surgery after scans were taken.

“He arrived in a critical condition and remains in a critical condition,” the spokeman said.

“I understand he was ventilated at the scene, and arrived at St Vincent’s on life support, then underwent scans and surgery.”

It will reportedly be 24-48 hours before the outcome of the surgery is clear.

Hughes arrived at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital in an induced coma at 3:30pm after being struck on the head by a bouncer at the SCG earlier this afternoon while playing for South Australia in the Bupa Sheffield Shield match at the SCG.

There were distressing scenes at the SCG, as the Test hopeful and former Australian batsman was knocked out by a bouncer and stretchered from the ground at 2:23pm.

Former Australian paceman Trent Copeland, who was at the ground, said:

“Immediately you could tell there was something wrong. The players around him were freaking out.

“It was not nice. Very ugly.”

At least three ambulances and a helicopter were on hand to treat the 25-year-old and transport him to St Vincent’s Hospital. He was reportedly breathing with some assistance when he left the ground.

Australian captain Michael Clarke was one of the first people to arrive at the hospital and is comforting Hughes’s sister and mother Virginia who were at the SCG today.
The opposing Blues players rushed in to help their former teammate and called for medical help from the dressing rooms when Hughes was felled by a bouncer by Sean Abbott when trying to execute a pull shot.

Doctors attempted to resuscitate the South Australia batsman on the wicket and stopped the medical van on the boundary to continue treatment soon after.
The NSW Blues released a statement saying Hughes had been taken to hospital via ambulance.

“A full statement on his condition will me made once assessed by doctors,” it read.

Meanwhile the South Australia Cricket Association has issued the following statement:

“On behalf of the SACA Board and administration, our thoughts and prayers are with Phil Hughes and his family at this time.

Phil suffered an injury to his head from a delivery

Phil has been taken to hospital in Sydney and has been accompanied by family members and SACA General Manager High Performance, Tim Nielsen.”

Mr Nielsen also issued a brief statement outside St Vincent’s Hospital, repeating the news that the results of the surgery would not be known for 24-48 hours.

Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland addressed the media in Melbourne, saying: “All we know is that it is serious and that he’s fortunate to be in the best possible place right now with experts all around him.”

Mr Sutherland said he had received numerous messages of support, including from the New Zealand team which is currently touring the United Arab Emirates.

Hughes was given CPR on the stretcher as he came off the field, with Australian opener David Warner alongside him.

He was taken to the edge of the field, where a sheet was erected so spectators could not see him receiving treatment.

Hoping to press his case for a place in next week’s first Test against India, the opener had scored a composed 63 off 161 balls and looked good before he was hit on the helmet and transported from the ground on a medicab.
The incident occurred at 2.23pm AEDT and play was officially abandoned.

Hughes had been leaving short balls, but had a go at one from Abbott and misjudged it, and was hit in the head.
Hughes had been pushing hard for a berth in the first Test squad to face India in Brisbane.

He had scored 170 runs at 42.50 in three Sheffield Shield matches this season.
Hughes has amassed 1,535 runs in 26 Test matches, dating back to 2009.

Hailing from Macksville on the north coast of NSW, Hughes moved to South Australia last season in a bid to reinvigorate his international career.
— with The Daily Telegraph

I got it as soon as I read it. I still recall having crossed in front of the goal during a lacrosse game and getting hit in the neck, just under the helmet, with a full force goal shot from about 3 meters away. I talked funny for months.

Not really. Watching some collapse, go into convulsions from a cardiac arrest and brain injury, CPR for 30 minutes and then helicoptor off the field in uncertain condition is not pleasant.

these things happen and unpleasantness is all part of life, how on earth can wrapping people in cotton wool and giving them "counselling" help, it just leaves them even less capable of dealing with the next situation.

i read the other day that supermarkets in the uk are to cover up newspapers on display so that children walking by are not upset and traumatised by seeing the headlines. how pathetic is that, they are just ensuring that those kids will grow up incapable of dealing with the bad stuff that life will throw at them.

Not really. Watching some collapse, go into convulsions from a cardiac arrest and brain injury, CPR for 30 minutes and then helicoptor off the field in uncertain condition is not pleasant.

these things happen and unpleasantness is all part of life, how on earth can wrapping people in cotton wool and giving them "counselling" help, it just leaves them even less capable of dealing with the next situation.

i read the other day that supermarkets in the uk are to cover up newspapers on display so that children walking by are not upset and traumatised by seeing the headlines. how pathetic is that, they are just ensuring that those kids will grow up incapable of dealing with the bad stuff that life will throw at them.

If they did that here, the kids wouldn't be able to see pictures of Palestinians with their heads blown off.